Today we are pleased to bring you an interview from another great artist from the upcoming Assassin Series, here is the 18th installment of the CTU's interview series...

Presenting the CTU's Dirty Dozen featuring: Southerndrawl



1. What name do you go by and why?

I go by southerndrawl. I grew up in Texas and I had been using it as part of my e-mail address before I signed up for the kidrobot message board. So when the KRMB asked me for a name, I just went with it.

2. Why did you get into custom toy making?

I’ve always liked building and modifying things. When I was younger I re-welded my bike and re-sewed my camping gear. Nowadays that impulse and my love of art has been channeled to my toys.

The first vinyl toys that I bought were a couple of the kidrobot mascots. After a while, I thought about repainting them, googled to find out what the earlier versions looked like and found the KR message board. That was early-ish 2007. It was then that I realized that there were a lot of folks customizing toys and posting there, really talented folks like Olivas and Huck, Dok A and others. Seeing their stuff made me want to do it too. It also seemed like a supportive community on the boards back then and that motivated me some to get in there and try to hang. There seems to be fewer artists on that board nowadays but I’m still a regular there.

3. What influences / motivates your work the most?

In general, I don’t have a single style, theme, or technique. I mostly do whatever I think will look fun or that I’d like. Like many others doing this stuff, I really like Japanese manga, cartoons and animation, martial arts and monsters, robots and the like. Add animals to that and these are a few of my favorite things. (hums the song)…



4. What is your favorite platform to work with?

I get bored easily so I’m not into working on the same platforms repeatedly but I’d probably have to say teddy troops and labbits are my favorites. I originally thought both were very limited and goofy sculpts but now I love them.

I also don’t normally like working small but the size is often helpful when you don’t care as much about details but want to explore a particular concept. So I’m surprised to say that I’ve regained an interest in 3” inch dunnys (but don’t have much interest in the bigger ones).

5. What tools of the trade do you use?

Acrylic paint and Magic Sculpt mostly. I have an on-again off-again relationship with Super Sculpey which I think is very workable, but brittle. I got through a lot of #22 X-Acto blades. I also use a lot of wire, wire mesh, and aluminum foil. For rivets I use a kind of nail with a rounded head called escutcheon pins. And anything else that seems suitable.

6. Do you have any formal arts training?

I’ve taken a few watercolor classes at the School of Visual Arts and the New School but generally most everything has been self taught.

Unsolicited advice: If I have one piece of advice to other customizers, it’s that sanding is not the place to cut corners. Lumpy clay work can undermine the overall project. It’s something I’m very critical of myself for occasionally.



7.What other artistic mediums do you dabble in?

I’d like to get back into doing more wood carving work. I love old Americana craft work (tin and steelwork) and wooden automatons. I was doing some of that before vinyl and want to get back to it. Unfortunately these mediums are a lot harder, messier and exponentially more time-consuming to work in.

8. Who are your favorite artists?

On the professional level there are many favorites like Oldenburg, Goldsworthy, Wyeth, Haring, Murakami, Nara and many others.

On the vinyl scene, I generally prefer artists who combine good technical sculpting and painting skills with strong, cohesive overall concept- persons who I think I could learn from. The list of folks changes all the time. Most recently, I’ve been admiring the works and techniques of Chauskosis, muffinman, and dory.

9.Who or what pieces do you collect?

I have a big collection of my own, unsold works. Haha.

I don’t have much of a vinyl collection overall but I do have more than a few pieces from Horvath, Kozik and Ledbetter and dunnys that almost everyone else has also had at some point. I’ve picked up a few of the WWR 3A robots. I also have a number of Godzilla toys but only a few make the display. In addition to that, I have a small number of regional craftworks I’ve been given or bought over time: a wooden figure from South Africa, various alejibres and ceramics from Mexico, a painted bottle from Haiti, wooden panel from Indonesia and so on.

10. What piece are you most proud of?

I have a pretty devastating critique of all the pieces I’ve ever done so I’m not sure if the word proud fits but I do still really like a couple of the labbits and troops I’ve done (the rhinolabbit and bighorn troop come to mind).

I am currently having a lot of fun working on a non-commissioned 3A WWR Large Martin. When I’m done with it, I expect it to grow to some 30 inches in height and have fully articulated hands and new weapons. I’m still trying to understand how the paint was applied to simulate the weathering process. Some folks have that down, but it’s pretty new to me.




11.Do you have any shows or exhibitions in the works?

Not too many which I’m happy with. I have a hectic totally unrelated job, a toddler and a new kid on the way in the Fall so I’m doing a lot less this year than I’d otherwise take on. So not including my commissioned works, I’m currently working on some of Scribe’s figures (bees and rumpus) for Comic-Con, a Celsius for that big Robotox show in LA, a Nolasco Gordo for NYCC, and one or two others.

12. Do you take commissions?

Definitely. My commission list is mostly closed through the end of the Summer but I’m always open to offers that are too good to be true and discussing ideas.

While on the topic, I just want to say thanks again to everyone who has ever commissioned a piece from me. I don’t produce that many over all so I’m a little sentimental about every one I’ve ever done.

Thanks for hearing me out!
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The Custom Toy Union would like to thank Southerndrawl for his time and for sharing his work with us.

You can see more of Southerndrawl's work here:

http://particlegun.blogspot.com/

One of the best around, from the painting to the fabrication to the characters.

AWESOME ARTIST! and believe it or not better human being

sick customs, southerndrawl...i've watched your art for a while now, it's some of my favorite out there right now.

Awesome interview and sweet customs. Thanks for letting us get inside your head for a bit!

hey thanks ya'll. i hope ya'll like my "golden ticket" when the time comes. it's a fun piece I think.

Awesome work!

I'm really curious about this GT...

definitely one of my favorite artist. I always enjoy looking at your art pieces.

I hadn't seen any of your work until just now (I browsed through your entire blog). Everything is amazing! I hadn't even heard of the tequila toy until I saw that minotaur and googled it.

The first time I see your work and I love it. Wow!

Southerndrawl...whut it dew?!?!

One of my all-time favorite toybashers. And he's a super nice guy as well!